Vegetable pack



Oct. 1. 1940- F. FERNANDEZ, 2,216,365

Y VEGETABLE PACK Filed March 13, 1939 FIG M 20 m G Z0 4 /a 2 I 32 x I? i1 I v INVENTOR. L III 1382f Janene/c2 -F/G6 ay /w y ATTORNEY liatentedOct. 1, 1940 UNITEDJI'STATE'S 2,216,365 VEGETABLE PACK,

har m; emu Y Frank erna aes, Pnoemasrn, v Application March 13,1939,sen-mm. 201,412 3 claims; (or. 62 1) My invention relates toimprovements in vegetable packs used for packing and transportingperishable vegetables, commonly: known to the trade as iced vegetables.These vegetables may I include head lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower,arti-- chokes, broccoli, or the like, and suchother fruits or melons asare adaptable to similar packing methods. z

. Heretofore. ithas been the practice, for the 10"" mostpart, to packthese vegetables in wooden crates or boxes. the sides and ends of'whichare composed of slats to allow for a certai-n amount of ventilation."The vegetables are graded as to size and set into these crates inhorizontal layers.

II. As the business of supplying iced vegetablesto distant marketsincreased, itwas found that this method of packing has its drawbacks,some of which may be enumerated as follows:

In order to secure a tight pack it is necessary to force the lid downupon the box with some pressure. This pressure causedthe hard particlesof ice to be squeezed into and bruise the outer layers and leaves of thevegetables, the bruising caused decay with a subsequent waste and loss.Further", 35 ice introduced into the pack, coming directly from thecrusher, has a temperature nearly al-' ways below the freezing point.This crushed ice coming into direct contact with the vegetables causedfreezing of the outer layers" of the vege- 40 tables which resulted inquickspoilage'and damage, sometimes extending far into the head;

An additional disadvantage has been found in that, while it is desirableto maintain these vegetables'in a damp condition, it is also desirable'45 that-they donot become saturated withwater since water soakedvegetables will not freshen upon-removal from the crate. and further, anexcess of waterinduces decay and sliming, with subsequent loss.

' 50 Shippers and prior inventors, realizing the above enumeratedobjects; have sought from time to timeto remedy them and variousattempts have been made to produce packs which would keep the vegetablesfrom direct contact with the 6 ice to reduce the ill eifects of meltingice and excess melt water therefrom, However, these prior 1 attemptshave not fully overcome the objections and in view of the foregoing,jthe objects of my inventionarem First, to provide a vegetable pack,including an 1 outer crate wherein the vegetables arekept out of,

direct contact with the included ice:

' A second object is-to provide-a vegetablejpack wherein the vegetablesare completely enclosed.

' within the outer case 'by"a protective covering; which is waterrepellant but notmoisture proof:

A third object is to provide a means for choice-'- 'ing the packedvegetables-within an outer. crate in thermal relation to cracked ice asa refrigerant I but out of contact therewith, and at thesame II" timeprovide for drainage of excess'melt from said ice; j

A fourth object is to provide a vegetable pat a which can be eilicientlyand cheaplymade to accomplish the resultsindicated: A fifth object istoprovide such a'vegetable pack, as abovedescribed, whereintheoperationjs of packing can be efficiently and rapidly '"Asixthobjectisto'provideamethod of pack-'.

ing icedvegetables wherein the vegetables-are maintained at -atemperature proper for-their preservation without direct contact withpack ice;

A seventh object is to provide a'method for packing vegetables wherebythey are'kept in heat transfer relation but-out ofcontactwith-packingice and maintained at a temperature p'roperfor theirpreservation during transit; 1

Other objects will appear hereinafter. 5 7 1 I'attain the'foregoingobjects by'means ofthe devices illustrated in the accompanying drawing;

in which Figure l is a' side elevation of my improved pack, with thenearfedgeof the sectioned oil' to show the interior; Figure! inaplanview of the crate'lining: Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view thereof;Flgureii is afragmen- 1 tary end view of a. modified form .of crateiinerconstruction; Figure 5 is a plan viewof my forrn of ice container;Figure 6 is a sideelevationtheree of before closing, and Figure. 7 is adrawnon a reduced scale of a blank of list material from which mypreferred type of crate' K iinerisformed.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the log several views. Theouter crate I. as herewith illustrated, be of the conventional type,consisting of hor-izontal slats joined to corner posts to form a boxlikestructure, including a bottom! and the lid li f:

4, attached by cleats 5 after the pack is completed.

Within this crate I lit a liner 6, preferably made of water repellantbut moisture pervious parchment paper. This material should be of a typewhich maintains its strength though moist but which is not completelywater proofed by waxing, oil coating, or other similar treatment.

In order to provide a complete closure for the vegetables containedwithin the pack, I prefer to make this-liner from one piece of materialsuch as indicated in Figure '7. The base 8 of this liner is positionedin the center of the blank; the dotted lines 9 indicate fold lines fromthe base, the sides I0 and ends H are folded upwardly; The materialindicated in the squares l2 between the sides and ends is creased onfold line l3 and then folded across the ends forming flaps l4, which aresecured in place by cleated staples 15. When thus folded and bent, arectangular boxlikestructure is provided, having the" vertical corneredges 16 completely closed and water tight. i

Optionally, the squares l2 may be cut from the blankand the contactingedges between the sides and ends secured by a flap l1, Figure lg-joinedwith water-proof cement to the ends ll.

. this layer of vegetables.

Extending beyond the sides are two overlapping top flaps I8 and I9, and;extending beyond the ends are two overlapping top flaps 20 and 2|.

, To provide drainage, the bottom 8 of this liner is pierced by holes 22at each corner. The top flaps adjoining the ends are preferably foldedover the pack first. Thereafter, the flaps l8 and 19 attached to thesides are folded over them and secured in place by string andwasherconnectors 23. However, in some instances this may be reversed.

In practice, these crate liners are prepared in set up form. Theends-are then folded inwardly and-downwardly to form a flat pack and itis intended that bundles of these fiat packs be supplied to the packingsheds.

Upon being received, these liners are opened up and placed withinpacking crates. A layer of vegetables 24 are then introduced and packedon the bottom of the liner within, the crate. Thereinafter, an ice pack25 is placed ontop of This pack is composed of aflat sack-like container26 made of water repellant but moisture pervious parchment with alljoined seams secured by water proof cement. This is preferablyfabricated to providea square end 21 when opened. Crushed ice isintroduced at the open end 28 to fill this pack to a point indicated, bythe arrows 29. Thereupon the open end is folded flat, creased over andsecured by cleated staples ,30.

Afterthe ice pack 25 is placed within the crate and liner, a secondlayer of vegetables 3 l is packed upon ice pack 25. Following this, asecond ice pack .32 is .placed upon this second layerof packedvegetables and a. third layerof vegetables 33 packed thereon. Thisprocess is continued until the" crate is filled. Thereupon, the flaps 20 and 2| are folded over the top layer of packed vegetables, aspreviously described, then the flaps 3 and I9 are folded over, securedby string andwasher ties 23, and thereafter the lid 4 is nailed inplace.

A pack of this nature does not have to be set at the ends thereof. Inany event only a limited amount of water comes directly in contact withthe vegetables and in no case does the ice direct lyimpinge uponthevegetable texture. As a result the vegetables are maintained in achilled condition with suflicient moisture to prevent wilting; at thesame time the pack is insulated by the liner, which-completely surroundsthe contents." Dirt and foreign substances are kept out of the pack butsuflicient ventilation and drainage is provided by holes--22, which alsoallow the-escape of gases produced by organic action of the vegetables:

Having now described my invention and ex-.

plained its use and operation, I claim:

1. A vegetable pack for iced vegetables includ ing, in combination,a'crate, a liner set therein composed of water repellant perviousparchment completely enclosing the-bottom, sides and ends of the pack, apack composed of-layers of vegetables separated by; ice packs composedof sacklike flat containers of water repellant but per-.

vious parchment filled with cracked ice, and means for closing the topof theliner over the top of thepack.

2. A vegetablepack foriced vegetables, includ-: ing, in combination, acrate,.a'liner fitted therein composed of pervious parchment havingclosed seams joining the bottom,.sides and ends, fold-.

able, overlapping flaps adapted to form a top closure, and holes in thebottom to provide drainage means for ice melt, and a pack within saidliner composed of horizontal layers of vegetables set therein alternatedwith ice packs consisting of flat sack-like containers composed ofpervious parchment completely enclosing horizontal layers of crackedice. I

3. A vegetable pack for iced' produce, vegetables, and the like,including, in combination, a crate, a liner fitted within saidcrateformed of a single blank of pervious parchment paper out and folded sothat the adjoining'edges of the bottom, sides, and ends and verticalcorner edges thereof consist of folds forming closed seams while theside and end portions of said blank ex. tend beyond the upper edges andends of said: crate to provide overlapping flaps adapted to effeet-atopclosure, the bottom of said liner being provided with dralnage holes,and a pack within said liner including crushed iced completely ,en-

closed within pervious parchment paper containers, interspaced betweenproduce packed therein.

FRANK FERNANDEZ.

